


Hearts and Spades

by Little_Stargazer



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, イケメン革命アリスと恋の魔法 | Ikemen Revolution: Love & Magic in Wonderland (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sibling!Lance&Kagome, hints to character death(minor character), potential spoilers for game routes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2020-10-19 13:02:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20657684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Stargazer/pseuds/Little_Stargazer
Summary: Kagome, sister to Lancelot- the King of Hearts, has been missing for several years. The questions that shroud her absence have gone unanswered. When she appears once more, to the surprise of many, she sides with the Black Army. Her peaceful stare challenges her brother without fear. "I won't back down to anyone- not even you."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.
> 
> Note:  
There will be spoilers for Ikemen Revolution: Love & Magic in Wonderland in this. (Major and minor.)

_Stale air greeted her, and Kagome felt as her steps stuttered in the dirt of the path she ran down. By now, the white ribbon that had been tied in her hair had fallen out and gotten lost somewhere behind her in the path. Her mostly white dress had become soiled with both blood and dirt in many places. Tears blurred in her eyes, and she willed herself to hold them back. The presence of them almost blinded her._

_She knew the hooded figures giving chase to her would eventually catch up to her. She knew she couldn't run forever._

_Where was she fleeing to? She didn't even know where she was running. By now, she was deep and lost in the Forbidden Forest. Her surroundings blurred together, merging into a haze of unending greens and browns._

_Her dress snagged on the branches as she dove through a thicket of trees. Pieces of fabric tore from her dress, falling to the ground and making even more of a mess of her._

_She ran faster as her pursuers finally began closing in on her. She could hear their shouting in between the pounding of her own heart in her chest_

_She burst through the foliage, only to feel her legs stop working for a moment, despite her chasers catching up to her. Kagome sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of an aged wooden well sitting in the middle of a clearing full of odd-looking flowers._

"_Capture her!"_

_The shout from behind her made her jump. Before she could take a single step, she was surrounded by a group of men dressed in hooded robes._

"_If you agree to come peacefully, you won't be hurt anymore than you already are," one attempted to tell her as if to coerce her into willingly getting kidnapped. "We were given permission from Lord Amon to hurt you if you insist on acting out."  
_

_She narrowed her eyes at him in utter rage. "You may have me surrounded, but like hell I'm just gonna give up!" she hissed back. Right as those words left her mouth, Kagome grabbed the wrist of the one in front of her. She swung her leg out and knocked his out from under him. He hit the ground, and she threw a punch at one that made a dive for her. She nailed him in the middle of his face, and she felt the cracking of his nose under her curled fingers._

_Two more reached for her. She snatched one by his arm and yanked him forward with an impressive amount of strength. She pulled his arm back behind his back until she heard a loud cracking sound. A cry of pain came from him, and she kicked the back of his knee with the bottom of her foot._

_Before any of the rest could close in on her any more, she decided to get out of the trapped area she was in. She used the one kneeling in front of her for leverage, kicking him even further down in the process. Her palms landed on the shoulders of the one blocking her path as she flipped over him._

_She made a break for an escape route past the well. As she drew closer towards it, something pulled her to go up to it. She stopped next to it and glanced back over her shoulder. They were getting back up and she spared the well one last look before climbing over the ledge of it and jumping down into the inky depths._

_Her pursuers were left to observe the well as a blue light filled its depths. Once the light faded and died down, there was nothing left in it._

* * *

_Weeks passed following that incident. Outside of her hair ribbon and a few torn pieces of her dress, nothing of her was found. It was almost as if she had just vanished, leaving behind a few bloodstained pieces of fabric._

_Her disappearance was worrying for a number of reasons. Those who could use magic naturally, such as Kagome could, were considered as potentially dangerous. It was a rare gift that could be manipulated by the wrong people if not cautious enough. The fact she had such unnaturally powerful magic did not ease their minds._

_Months of searching still turned up nothing. A year passed, and that passing day, the anniversary of her absence, statements were given of her believed death._

_The hunt for her ended, even if some people kept searching on their own time and with their sole dedication. Most hopes of her ever returning seemed to die when those statements were announced._

_An air of despair loomed over the Red Territory, an air that spread throughout the land of Cradle._

* * *

Her blue eyes remained focused on the verdant grass under her feet as she walked. A smile was plastered to her charming features, and a quiet hum bubbled up in the back of her throat as she dashed along.

It had been many years since she was last here, after all. She was enjoying just being back at the moment, even if her last moments there had been rather bad.

Her long hair, somewhat messy and unkempt, fell in dark waves around her shoulders and down her back. Long bangs framed her face, and she was extremely thankful for the hairpins she had clipped in her hair to keep her vision clear.

The pink jewel that hung around her neck sparkled under the bright sunlight that cast a warm glow over her. The cat perched on her shoulder was sleeping soundly, though she could feel the flicking of her twin tails.

Before long, she stepped from the grass and onto the cobbled stone. She looked around to collect her bearings on where she was before heading in a specific direction: Towards the Black Territory, and far away from the Red Territory.

Before long, a building she wasn't overly familiar with came into sight, and a relieved smile spread across her features at last.

"Whew…" she sighed and hurried to try and make herself look like she hadn't just pulled herself from a river. A well- it had been a well that she pulled herself from, but there had been a lot of water in it. Once she was sure she looked at least a bit respectable, she continued forward with a sheen of determination reflecting in her sapphire-blue eyes.

She saw the soldiers stationed on guard at the gate, but she hadn't been noticed yet. She pursed her lips together, and, ignoring her heavily weakened state, she opted for a better route than straightforward. Her blue eyes took on a red shine, and a brief moment of weightlessness surrounded her. Her feet touched the ground outside the front doors of the building, and her eyes returned to the normal blue. The doors swung open just she got a few feet away from them, and she ended up stopping all movement as she looked up at the man who had opened them.

At the sight of him, her faint look of shock melted off her face and was replaced by a soft smile "Hello there, Sirius," she said.

Staring down at her was Sirius Oswald. She saw the way his expression contorted through many different emotions. He looked at her almost as if he was seeing a ghost.

'… _that's fair,'_ she decided. For so long, she must have been considered dead to the people of this world. After all, she had left so long ago without any warning or trail to follow.

"May I come in?" she asked then, not bothering to wait for him to offer her any greeting. "It's been such a long time since I've been able to relax any. I'd like to discuss a few things with you lot, as well."

"Well, hello little lady," he finally managed a response to her greeting, despite how he still seemed shocked at her appearance. "I suppose you can," he said then, and he stepped from her path to allow the girl the room to enter the headquarters. "What would you like to discuss?" he asked then.

"Ah… well, it might be a little surprising..." she said as she waltzed past him. As she came to a halt, the feline on her shoulder finally sat up and gave a large yawn. "Oh! Please excuse my unsightly appearance," she said with an embarrassed laugh. "I had an awful time climbing out of a well not too long ago."

"A well?" Sirius asked, his expression contorting at hearing that short bit. "What well?"

"We'll worry about that later," she said with a quick shrug. "I want to talk about something much different, after all."

"Are you willing to tell me now?"

"Oh, of course. Someone has to go round up the rest of you lot," she said without missing a beat. She looked up at him once more, meeting his stare head-on as the next words left her lips. "I would like to align myself with the Black Army."

His mouth fell open and his eyes widened at her innocent tone.

"So, go round up the others, please?" she asked before turning on her heel. "I have more I wish to say, but I don't want to repeat myself. I'd rather talk to a large group, as opposed to just one person." She paused mid-step and glanced back at Sirius. She sent him a parting smile that was more serene than wary before continuing on her own lead.

Sirius watched her for a moment or two, the surprise still resting on his shoulders.

After being missing for so long, where had she even come from?


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.

* * *

It was silent as she sat on a couch in that room. Sirius had gone to round up the rest of the officials as she had requested. Curled up in her lap was the twin-tailed cat. She wasn't sleeping anymore, but she was reluctant to go too far away from the woman. Kagome glanced down at her and began to scratch her behind her ears.

While she was sitting there, she was able to realize just how tired she was. She bit her lip as she accounted for her past few days up until this point.

How many days had it been since Naraku's defeat and the jewel's completion? She knew it must have been fairly recent, but the exact date was lost on her. She had come to in the bottom of the well, curled up in a ball in a corner with the twin-tailed feline and the pink jewel with her.

She was thankful to have Kirara with her. The fight against Naraku had resulted in many deaths on both sides. Just her and a few of her demon companions had lived on their side, sadly.

Kagome took a deep breath and attempted to push those thoughts to the recesses of her mind. The action caused her to let out a pained gasp as feeling a pressing sting run along her midsection. She pressed her palm against the poorly bandaged area and heaved an exhausted sigh.

Her wounds from the fight had yet to fully heal, and that pain was steadily catching up with her. The faint sound of a collection of different footsteps captured her attention, and she hurried to lower her hand back down in an attempt to hide the damages and any sign of discomfort. Kirara, however, sat up and looked at her with worry shining in her large eyes.

"I know, I know," she hissed out in a fierce whisper. "Get it checked out before it gets worse, blah blah blah." Kagome fixed her shirt so it wouldn't press too much to the wound in case it ended up bleeding again. After that, she attempted to ignore it completely. "I'll do a better job at bandaging it after I finish talking to these men."

She looked up just as the door was opened, and her eyes landed on the small group of officials. Her peaceful smile returned at spotting them, and she gingerly waved to them all.

"Hello! It's so nice to get a good look at you all." Her chipper tone made most of them share a curious glance, and she held back on laughing, knowing if she did so then it'd only cause her more strain and serve to make her wounds ache even more. "I'm not here on the whim of Lancelot, so no worries. He doesn't even know I'm here- let alone that I'm anywhere near Cradle. At least, I don't think so."

"We're more curious as to why you're here," Ray said as he took the first step to approach where she sat. The others soon followed. Some of them sat, while others remained standing. "That, and where you even came from after all this time of being gone."

Kagome felt her smile dwindle some, and she glanced down at her lap. "Let's… not worry about that second thought, and instead focus on the first." For the first time, she adopted a reserved stance and it was very easy to pick up.

"That's fine."

When her request was granted, Kagome visibly relaxed with a soft sigh falling from her lips. A second later, she sat up straighter and let her blue eyes meet Ray's green ones. "In that case, did Sirius tell you what I told him?" she asked them.

"Sirius said you want to align yourself with us," he repeated that information, and she nodded without waiting.

"Correct," Kagome responded with a gentle nod of her head. "Although… it probably must be confusing, huh? I suddenly show up out of nowhere after being gone for who knows how many years, running to the Black Territory opposed to Red." She glanced down at her feet then, realizing just how odd her own words sounded to even herself. "I can't imagine I look all that well right now, either, do I?" she added on then with a weak laugh before sighing and slumping forward some.

It did seem so odd and out of place.

"I believe you hit the nail on the head saying it like that, little lady," Sirius said after she fell silent. Kagome looked up at him and felt her frown marring her delicate features. Sirius smiled down at her and rubbed her head. Kirara watched his hand with focused eyes. "Maybe you can tell us a little bit to help us understand your point of view. If you can't tell us everything that happened, then maybe just say what you can."

Kagome downcast her blue eyes again and sighed. She wanted to talk about her last few years, but she knew she couldn't. When she was well enough, she'd find a way to talk to Lancelot without _Them_ ever finding out she'd gone back to Red Territory, but for now, she needed a safe place to lay low at. The safest place she could think of was here. Kagome shook her head and sighed, realizing just how tired the sound was.

"You were pronounced missing, even dead for those who surrendered hope for your return for years now," Ray said, hoping it'd urge her to speak.

"I'm aware," she finally whispered. Knowing that made her feel guilty to ever think of the worry she'd caused. She didn't even want to think of how Lancelot must have felt all those years… "But I can't say what happened, or even where I was. It's not a simple thing." She shook her head and avoided meeting Ray's stare again.

"Why did you decide to come here on your return, then?"

Kagome tangled her fingers in the stained clothing she wore. "Because I'm probably safer here than anywhere else," she stated firmly. "Don't think I'm asking for protection. I'm offering to help. I know I don't look like much, but my magic is stronger than Lance's."

"Safer here?" Luka, who had been standing near the place Kagome was sitting spoke the words the other's seemed to think. Kagome looked up at him, blue meeting gold, and she shrugged.

"What can I say?" Kagome mumbled. "It's a gut feeling."

"I think we're all a little surprised by your sudden appearance and your decision, but it's appreciated," Ray said. "If anyone can try to speak to him, I think it'd be you," he said, speaking clearly about her brother.

"Lancelot… I know I'll have to talk to him sooner or later," Kagome said. She knew he'd have questions too, probably more than they had asked her. She knew she could spill the truth to him, so she had no fear of seeing him again. "I need time to think of what to say," she admitted then. "Though, if need be, I'd be glad to reach back out to him if it was asked of me."

"This is more of a genuine curiosity speaking here, but when you got here, you mentioned to me that you climbed out of a well," Sirius said, bringing the subject she'd nearly forgotten about up.

"Oh!" She perked up a bit, briefly forgetting about her wound, and she hissed at the sudden motion. The noise drew attention to her, and she laughed it off with a flick of her hand. "I almost forgot about that," she said. "It's simple really. I was in a well, and I climbed out of it using vines and gaps in the stone."

"... how did you get _in_ the well?"

"..."

The silence that answered that question lacked hostility. Kagome closed her eyes and intertwined her fingers in her lap, a flush of red staining her porcelain skin. "That's not important right now," she said, "but if you're so curious, I'll have you know that I fell down it."

"You fell?"

Kagome lifted her stare and looked at the one who had said that. There was a trace of humor lining his words. "Yes, that is how most people end up at the bottom of wells, isn't it?"

Fenrir nearly laughed at her blunt sarcasm.

"That's why I look like a drowned rat," she said then. That time, her words actually got a laugh out of him.

"You poor thing!" Seth let out a gasp at hearing her words. Luka stepped out of the way as he barreled forward. "You should be careful walking around soaked like that. You can get sick."

Falling ill had been the least of her concerns, but she had to offer a shrug in agreement at his observation. Her clothing had been soaked through, but they had dried on her trek here.

"You need to change your clothes," Seth continued with a nod of his head.

The thought of clean clothes sounded flawlessly perfect to her at that moment, and she willingly reached to take his hand. As she stood up, however, a disorientating haze flooded her head, and she stumbled forward a few paces. She could feel the front of her shirt sticking to her torso in an uncomfortable manner, and it took her only a moment to place the new wetness as her blood.

Her impromptu bandages had come undone, and her wound had reopened.

The moment her weight tipped forward, Kirara reacted without waiting for anyone else to move towards the woman. She took on her larger form and crouched to catch Kagome when she plummeted forward.

It left the Black Army's officials staring at the huge cat and the woman that had landed on top of her.

"That's a big kitty."

Kagome lifted her head and glared. "Yes, she is," she said as she pushed herself up some. Kirara's fur was now stained with the lightest touch of her blood. With a sigh, she looked up at Seth. "While a change of clothes would be lovely right now, I'm more in need of adequate bandaging."

She settled on the floor and let one of them help her back onto her feet. As she was guided out of the room by Sirius, Kagome made him pause for a moment so she could look back at the rest.

"Oh, and if you could, someone keep Kirara company for me. She won't attack anyone. There's nothing to fear from her.

"Can do," Ray said, already approaching the large cat.

* * *

She followed beside Sirius, a hand on his arm to keep herself braced. He led her to a room, and he gently pushed her inside while he stood outside it. Kagome looked around, realizing she'd been led to a bathroom.

"First things, little lady, take a bath and warm up some. Seth will bring a change of clothes for you. If you need help bandaging your wounds, let someone know."

Kagome nodded and glanced back at him. "Thank you."

Sirius smiled and patted her head gently. "Looks like you're in need of a haircut too, huh?" he said as he picked her hairpins out of her messy and tangled hair. Her bangs fell in her face and he stifled a chuckle before she could hear it.

Kagome brushed her bangs out of her face and rolled her eyes. "That noticeable, huh?"

Sirius motioned to the tub in the room with a gentle smile back on his face. Kagome turned to it, and he left her in the room by herself as he shut the door behind him. Kagome walked over to the tub and turned the faucet on. As water filled the tub, she stood back up and carefully shed her clothing, dropping it in a pile on the floor.

She wasn't sure if her clothes could be salvaged at this point with all the blood and stains in them. Kagome ignored them for a moment and went on to carefully unraveling the bandages on her torso. Blood stained them, more blood still continuing to drip from the wounds.

The two identical slashes weren't very deep anymore. A few more days and they should be healed up with the help of her powers. Kagome sighed in relief and stepped into the water.

* * *

Much like Sirius had said, Seth brought her a change of clothes. He placed them outside the bathroom door, folded neatly on the hardwood in front of the door. She had just gotten dressed when there was a knock on the door. Kagome turned to face the door, drying her hair with a towel.

"Come in," she called out softly, and the door slowly opened to reveal Sirius standing with bandages in his hand.

"Think you can manage taking care of it on your own?" he asked, and Kagome paused all movement at the question.

"Uh yeah," she said, letting her hair fall free from the towel, and she brushed her bangs back. It didn't take her long to bandage her wounds, and she found Sirius waiting for her outside the door.

He led her to a room and stopped in front of her. "Get some rest, okay? I didn't want to mention it earlier, but you look like you haven't had a proper sleep in weeks."

He opened the door for her and showed her a furnished bedroom, a warm yellow color covering nearly all pieces of furniture in there. Surprised, Kagome looked up at him. "Did you guys just have this room set up?"

"No, but we rushed to get it put together while you were in the bath," he said. "Turned out really nice given the time we had."

Kagome smiled, exhaustion crawling up her back when her eyes landed on the soft-looking bed. "It's perfect! Thanks so much!"

"Sleep tight, little lady," Sirius said as he left her at the room. Kagome wasted no time in letting the door close and diving into bed. She fell asleep not long after her head hit the pillow.


	3. Chapter 3

Her dreams were far from peaceful. She dreamed of _that_ place again, and of _him_ and his minions. She dreamed of her time there, and the things that had been done to her. The haze of black shadows hung in the air, nearly suffocating her and swallowing her form entirely. The longer she fought back, the worse the burn became.

It was almost as if she could feel the burn of magic on her skin, and she ended up waking up with a silent yelp, a cry for help that was never meant to be heard. Her chest rose and fell in panicked gasps, and she raked her nails over her clothes to check for any new injuries. Her eyes blurred, a few stray drops of moisture trailing down her cheeks as she let her hand rest on her rapidly moving chest.

She looked around and took in her surroundings. Only once she did that did she realize she wasn't _there_, but she was in her room located in the Black Army Headquarters. Her breath calmed as she looked to the window. It had been so long since memories of that place turned so real for her, and she suspected it was due to now being back in this land.

When Kagome had woken up, her room was dark, and she figured it was late into the night hours when she glanced at the dark sky outside her bedside window. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stood up on legs that were much more stable than before her rest.

When she glanced at her bed, she saw Kirara sleeping deeply, legs kicked out in a comfortable position. Every now and again, her paws would twitch as if she was chasing something in her dreaming state. She smiled, knowing that if she slept so deeply then she felt completely at peace. She hadn't even stirred when she got up.

"Is anyone even up still?" Kagome mused to herself as she peeked out her door into the hallway. It was dark, save for a few hall lights. She frowned and decided to test her magic. Her eyes flashed and she let her magic scan the area she was in, looking for anyone up and active in the night hours. To her surprise, she did feel someone, and she let her curiosity get the better of her as she bounded to where they were.

She peered past the doorframe, noting she had found a kitchen. The person inside soon noticed her, and he smiled at the sight of her. "Well, about time I catch you up, little lady."

"Huh?" Kagome frowned and craned her head to the side as she joined Sirius in the kitchen. "What do you mean? How long was I asleep?"

He chuckled and rubbed her forehead, and she soon realized he was checking her temperature. Her cheeks flushed and she looked away. "Almost three days. I could tell you were exhausted just by looking at you, but I didn't think you'd sleep for so long."

"Three days?!" Kagome choked out her response while trying to keep her voice down so she wouldn't risk waking anyone who's room might be in close proximity to the kitchen. Her cheeks flushed red as she looked down. "Well… can't say I'm making a nice impression so far… How come no one tried to wake me?"

Sirius patted her head again, and, not that she'd mention it even if it'd save her life, the action felt comforting and reassuring. She stood still for a moment longer than she needed so he'd keep at it. "I kept them from trying to get you up." He motioned for her to take a seat, and she did without questioning him. "Anyway, I doubt they would've succeeded if they tried. Yesterday morning, someone dropped a bunch of buckets and cleaning supplies outside your door on accident, and even that didn't do it. There wasn't a sound from your room."

Kagome felt her cheeks heat up a tad more at his amused tone. "Guess I was more exhausted than I realized…" she mumbled.

Could she really be faulted for her long rest, though? She'd gone for so long not having a place she felt completely safe to rest her head. From dealing with Amon and his disciples to her time in the world on the other side of the well, she'd been dealing with so much.

At the thought of the Magic Tower, Kagome felt a chill run down her spine. Her nightmares returned to the front of her mind at once. When would Amon realize she'd shown her face in this world again? When would he try to reclaim her like some materialistic possession? She had to be prepared for that day. Once she ended up on his radar again, there was no telling what might happen to her and anyone who might try to help her.

Sirius noticed how she had drawn up into herself, and he let her sink into her thoughts. He watched her for a few minutes, spotting an emotion he'd never seen on her form in her eyes. When he reached to brush he bangs from her face, he was startled when she bolted up from her chair, an unidentifiable gleam reflecting in blue eyes. A second later it faded and her lips jutted out in a delicate pout. It was quiet for a few seconds before she quietly mumbled: "... you scared me."

"Sorry, little lady," Sirius said, "I wasn't expecting you to have that reaction."

Kagome looked down and settled back into the chair. She was silent as she watched her folded hands. She wasn't sure how long she'd been like that, but when she heard the clank of a pot, she looked up and spotted Sirius standing with his back facing her. He had moved to be in front of the stove.

"What are you doing?" she asked, curiosity building up in her and getting the best of her.

"You've been asleep for a while, and you haven't eaten. You need to have something," came his response.

"Don't worry about it," Kagome said, waving her hand to try and dissuade him from going through the effort. "I'll just eat in the morning."

"Ideally, you'll eat tonight and tomorrow."

"I said don't worry about it. Sirius, I'm not even that hun-!" Just as she was about to deny the offer, her stomach spoke up and silenced her. She quieted down, cheeks turning red when Sirius glanced back at her with a smile present on his face.

"Clearly you are hungry."

With those words, he turned back to his task, and Kagome silently watched as he went about fixing something for her to eat.

As she sat there, her thoughts began to wander back to before she had gone down the well hidden deep in the Forbidden Forest. She was unable to stop herself from thinking back. A name came along with other thoughts, and she glanced back to Sirius. Before she could stop herself, a question flew from her lips. "Have you talked to Harr?"

Sirius paused in his actions long enough to turn and look at her. Kagome sat up straighter under the pressure of his stare. She hadn't meant to ask it out loud, but it came out before she could bite her tongue. "Harr? Why are you-" he paused himself mid-sentence when her question brought up a memory long since forgotten by him.

"_Has Kagome been here?"_

_The quiet air got cut to pieces when a familiar figure appeared. The silver mask on his face hid one of his eyes, but in the other, Sirius could see worry and unease present. The abrupt question took him by surprise, and Sirius shook his head while he worked on a better answer._

"_No." Sirius said, "I haven't heard from her in a long time." His answer seemed to double the worry around Harr, and he saw the way he glanced away with worry clouding his expression. "Why are you asking? Something wrong with her?"_

"_Just… if you see her, let me know as soon as you can." Those were the last words he said before his eye turned red and he used his magic to teleport away._

However, he'd didn't see her, or even hear word of her. A week or two after Harr's inquiry came the news of her disappearance. She had vanished almost as if she'd never even existed. A search had been ordered, but nothing outside of a few bloodied scraps of clothing had turned up.

Sirius let the soup he was making simmer for a little while as he came and sat down across from Kagome's stiff form. "Kagome-"

Kagome shook her head as if to dismiss her own words. "Ah… nevermind, don't worry about that. I got to thinking and realized it's been forever since I'd seen him, too, you know? We both were recruited to the Magic Tower and all…"

Her voice was soft, innocent, but he couldn't shake the feeling her words had been a lie. Did her question have anything to do with that moment with Harr all that time ago?

"Kagome, you can talk to me if you need to," he said, his voice quiet as if it were a promise to keep anything she said between the both of them. Kagome let her blue eyes meet his purple, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she laughed and shook her head.

The fatherly tone he spoke to her with made her fidget some, and she found herself wanting to spill her secrets to him. However, she held her tongue on the subject. It'd do no good to get him involved. This was something she had to handle.

In looking for an out of the conversation at hand, Kagome sat up some more and sniffed at the air. With a small grin on her face, she balanced her cheek in one hand and looked over Sirius' shoulder. "Say, the soup smells really good. Is it done yet?"

He dropped the subject. She was positive he hadn't wanted to, but he had done it merely to humor her. "Yeah, I believe so. I'll fix you a bowl. Stay right there."

"Thank you!"

He set a warm bowl in front of her, and Kagome realized then just how hungry she actually was. She was grateful for his insistence on fixing her something to eat, and she wasted no time in picking up the spoon he had set down with the bowl.

The broth was still hot when it touched her tongue, and she hissed at the slight burn. The dulling pain didn't stop her from eating more. It didn't take long for her to empty her bowl, all the while Sirius watched her from where he stood by the counter.

"It was so good!" Kagome exclaimed gleefully. It'd been forever since she had such good cooking, and it had such a homey and familiar taste that it had nearly sent her into a fit of tears. She looked down at her bowl and carefully picked it up and carried it to the sink. Before she could try to wash it, the task was stolen by the man with her, much to her confusion.

"I'll clean up in here. You should head back to bed so you're not up all night."

Kagome was left staring at his turned back as he began to wash the bowl used by her. She wanted to ask about when he'd be going to bed, but she couldn't find the words to say anything to question him. She glanced down at her feet and nodded, even though he wouldn't see the gesture.

"Thank you, Sirius. Goodnight."

"See you tomorrow, little lady."

* * *

Kagome woke up when the sun shone through her window that morning. She sat up, feeling more refreshed than ever. She stretched her arms above her head and let out a whimper of satisfaction.

Kirara stirred when Kagome's foot nudged her gently, and she turned crimson eyes to her. When Kagome climbed out of bed and changed into one of the dresses hanging in her closet, a sunflower yellow one with white underskirts, she followed behind her to the door. Right before she opened the door, Kirara jumped up onto her shoulder and sat down comfortably.

She peeked out into the hallway, this time seeing it more active than the night before. Soldiers in uniform were walking down the hall, and each one offered her a greeting as they passed her.

"Morning!"

"Good morning," Kagome would call back to each one as she walked by. The friendly atmosphere felt welcoming, and it was hard not to have a smile on her face.

As she rounded a corner, Kirara perked up and leaped from her shoulder as she spotted a familiar figure. She bounded over to Ray and sat in front of him, mewing for attention. Whether he noticed her making her way over to join him and her cat, Kagome didn't know. He knelt to reach and pick her up, and he scratched under her chin.

When Kagome stopped in front of him, he offered her a grin. "Well, look who's finally up and walking among the living."

She rolled her eyes at his joking tone. "Ha-ha," she mumbled and rubbed the back of her head. "Nice to see Kirara getting along with you." The feline glanced at her and purred louder when Ray rubbed under her chin some more. "It's not often she'll run off on her own."

Ray looked at her and caught sight of the faint smile on her pale pink lips. Her eyes had a soft gleam as she looked at the cat in his arms. "Haven't seen that bigger form she has since you got here," he said as he looked back at the cat. He heard Kagome hum, and he looked back at her.

"Consider that a good thing," Kagome said then. "Kirara has two forms. Her larger one is for combat only. If she takes on that one, then there is danger is on the horizon. When she stays like this," she said, reaching out and scratching behind her ears, "it means she's at peace. She's comfortable."

"What kind of cat is she?"

Kagome blinked a few times as she turned her attention back to Ray. Kagome then laughed and rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. "Surely one that won't be found anywhere around here," she said and sighed softly under her breath. "She's one of a kind, really."

Her answer was ambiguous, and Ray figured that was the best he'd get out of her. "You're all for keeping your secrets, huh?"

Kagome met his emerald eyes and gave a coy smile before opting to continue on her way. "You can keep Kirara with you for a while if you want. She's a great companion."

* * *

Breakfast that morning was so lively, and she loved it. Surrounded by so many people, she felt a lot of excitement from practically everyone. Though there was no real comparison, she was nearly reminded of nights by a warm fire with her friends from the world on the other side of the well.

She was the center of attention, finally being awake for everyone to meet and interact with. She wasn't used to having so many eyes on her, but she enjoyed herself as much as she could.

The food was amazing, too! She ate more than she meant to, opting to try some of everything as to not miss out on something she could love. She paused mid-bite when she felt a stare on her, and she subtly let her gaze sweep over the room until she spotted who it was that was watching her so intently.

Her eyes met a golden stare that very quickly looked away when his staring was caught on to. She offered a smile Luka's way, but he had walked off before even seeing it. Kagome frowned and glanced at her plate.

She could remember her school days with him. So many times they had ended up on the school's roof with one another. Luka liked to go there because it was quiet, and she'd go up there to hide when she embarrassed herself due to her lack of control over her magic. They had shared the area, talking and becoming friends.

All that was before she'd been recruited to the Magic Tower. After then, her time speaking to him and even seeing him had turned minuscule, but not by her choice. Instead, she had ended up becoming close to one of her brother's old friends while there, Harr. Him, and a boy younger than her named Loki. They were the two she could remember clearest from then. Harr, an old friend of Lancelot's, and Loki, a child that got so attached to her.

She finished what was on her plate, and excused herself once other people started to leave the table. She looked around for Luka for a moment or two before she found him in the kitchen, washing a few dishes. She stood in the door for a moment before doing anything.

"Hey, it's me," Kagome announced her arrival before stepping into the kitchen with him. She hovered by the door, not wanting to impose any and invite herself in if he didn't want her around. "Um… would you like some help?" she asked, looking for a reason for even being there.

Luka was startled by her at first, but he soon looked away and shrugged. "It's fine. I can handle it."

Kagome frowned and glanced down. "I've been here for a few days, and I've basically slept for the entire time. There has to be something I can do to help. Otherwise, I'm a burden here."

Luka was silent for a moment, and Kagome was about to give up and turn on her heel, accepting that he didn't want her around. Before she could turn and head for the door, she heard his soft voice call to her. "You could… put them away if you want?" He phrased it like a question, giving her a chance to back out if she wanted to. Kagome smiled and bounded over to where he was.

"Deal!"

It was quiet between the two of them as they went through the motions of cleaning, drying and setting the dishes in their proper spots.

Kagome dried what she held and went to put it where he said it went. She opened the cabinet over her head and frowned when she saw how much further it was above her. She couldn't reach it, not even on her toes. Just as she tried to jump and set it up there, she felt him come up behind her.

Kagome froze at the abrupt closeness. Luka brushed against her back as he reached and put it up for her. Her cheeks flushed red and she glanced at her feet as she tried to ignore the nervousness she felt clawing up her spine.

He noticed her silent and stiff form as he stepped away from her, and he frowned. He saw her flushed cheeks and he peered closer at her face, worried. "Your face is red… Are you feeling okay? You don't have to push yourself if you're not feeling well."

Kagome shook her head and forced herself to move back to her original spot, wiping a dish dry to have an excuse not to look at him. "N-No. I'm fine." As the silence resumed, and Luka started washing again, she spared him another glance before turning back to her task to avoid him catching on.

Kagome lowered the towel in her hand after a moment, the silence getting the better of her. "You remember the time I sneezed in class and my books and papers flew everywhere because I couldn't control my magic?"

Luka looked at the soapy water, and she could see the way his lips turned up at the thought. He nodded and Kagome sighed. "You'd go hide on the roof every time something like that happened. That's where I'd always find you."

"It was humiliating, it always was. Didn't help that Edgar would tease me about it every chance he got." A somber smile appeared on her face and she shook her head. Luka noticed the action and he frowned at the pained smile on her face. "Those days were so long ago…" so much had happened since those simple days, and, while they weren't the greatest either, she still wished to relive them.

She had fewer worries then.

But life continued on, even when she was gone. She never expected it to stay still, that'd be foolish of her, but knowing that did little to ease her mind

"Hey, Luka?"

Her soft voice caught his attention, and he looked back to meet her eyes. "What?"

"I…" She caught herself before she could say anything she might regret. Kagome shook her head and forced a smile that she hoped wasn't too painfully obvious. "Nevermind. It's just nice to see you again, is all." Maybe he didn't think the same way, but she still said it.

"I'm… glad to see you, too," he admitted, face tinted red with a faint blush.

Kagome felt a genuine smile appear on her face and she let out a sigh.

Though they were simple, those words were so nice to hear.

* * *

When she excused herself to her room with the white lie of taking a nap, she hadn't been questioned. When her door shut behind her, Kagome paced from wall to wall for a moment or two before finally stopping and gathering her courage.

The longer she put it off, the worse she felt.

She brushed her finger through her hair to calm herself down some.

"I have to talk to him," Kagome muttered out loud to herself. He had a right to know she was alive and well. He deserved to know she was okay.

Harr. She was going to see him.

She let the thought of him enter her mind, picturing both his face and repeating his name over again in her mind as her eyes began to glow crimson.

"_Harr Silver…"_

Her eyes tinted red, and that familiar sense of weightlessness surrounded her. Holding on tight to the image of his face in her mind, she let her magic carry her to where he was. She landed on shaking feet, nearly stumbling to her hands and knees when she hit the ground.

The unfamiliar place was quickly accessed by her. She knew he had to be here- or else she wouldn't have been teleported here. The house in the forest had to be where she'd find him. Kagome sucked in a breath and made her way towards the door. She knocked a few times, and the door was opened not long after.

She was greeted by the man that wore the silver mask covering one of his eyes. The color drained from his face, and he stood frozen. "Kagome?"

"Harr I-!"

She didn't have time to say much else before a pair of arms went around her, and she was nearly knocked off her feet. "Kagome~!"

Her breath was knocked from her as Loki tugged her against him. Getting out of control with it, he picked her up off of her feet and spun in a circle with her. "Loki!" Kagome half gasped and cried, both as a relief to see him and as a plea for him to set her back on her feet.

"Loki if you don't calm down you might hurt the both of you," Harr's soft voice followed Kagome's exclaim.

Loki pouted and spun her around one more time before giving her back her balance. Kagome clung to his arm as she stumbled around on her feet, a little dizzy. Kagome shook her head and sighed. "I'm glad to see you, too, but next time give me a little warning, kid."

"What'd you expect?" Loki asked, meeting her stare with a furrowed brow and pout. "We thought you were…-!"

"I know," Kagome said, her voice apologetic. "I can't apologize enough for letting you think I'd been caught and killed. I know it must not have been..." She looked from Loki to Harr and sighed. She had so much she wanted to say right then and there, but she couldn't get her mouth to form the words. "I know it must've been hard to think I was dead, and I'm so sorry for letting you carry that worry."

"Where were you?" Harr's question stole her attention, and she turned bright blue eyes up to meet his gray one. The silver mask he wore covered his other eye and the scar she knew was under there.

"It's kinda hard to explain…" Kagome trailed off with a sigh, glancing back down at her feet. She smoothed her skirts down with tense hands. "But for now, I'm safe. I got away from Amon and his disciples… and I'm with the Black Army. I can't go home, not yet."

"Running would've been pointless if you did. You're safer the further away you are."

Kagome nodded and looked down. Loki squeezed tighter to her, and Kagome sighed. Their plan, at the time, had been their way out and it was apparent that it had worked. For them all to be out of there, she was glad. Kagome reached up and patted Loki's head like she was petting a child, and he smiled contently as she did.

_Thin fingers threaded through the puce-colored hair of the boy holding onto her other hand. He was close to her height already, but that didn't stop him from clinging to her._

_It was quiet around them, voices kept to hushed whispers as to keep them from carrying down the cavernous halls of the Magic Tower._

"_I'm serious," Kagome whispered, eyes sweeping from the child clinging to her to the man standing before her. "I want you to take Loki and run. I'll be fine."_

"_I can't leave you here on your own," Harr's response made her sigh._

"_He'll just come after me, anyway," Kagome said. "There's nowhere I can go where he can't eventually get me. If I run with you, it'll only risk the entire thing falling apart, so please just do as I say."_

"_Let me rephrase it then," Harr said, leaning close to her. "I __**won't**_ _leave you here alone."_

_Kagome felt her frown deepen as she stared up at him. Amon's experiment on her had left her nearly drained, him always so fascinated by how her magic restored itself. Even if she ran with them, she'd weigh them down fast._

"_Okay, fine," she said, a new idea forming in her mind. "We'll run, you take Loki and go one way, and I'll go the opposite. Amon will be more worried about getting me than the two of you, anyway."_

"_Where do you plan to run?"_

"_No idea," she muttered. A second later she tried to come up with something to get him to agree to he'd worry about himself and forget about her. "I'll try to find Sirius. If you don't hear from me after a few days, go find him."_

Kagome sighed and shook her head. When Harr called for her to follow him inside, she didn't hesitate. Loki walked alongside her, his grip still tight on her. It was quiet as they settled at the kitchen table, Kagome and Loki on one side with Harr on the opposite.

"I'm so happy to see the both of you," Kagome finally said, her voice soft and heavy. She looked at Loki then and brushed her fingers through his hair, much to his satisfaction. "Can't really call you my kid anymore, can I?"

"What are you on about? You still can." Loki said with a smile.

"Never stopped you before," Harr added on.

She looked at him and rose a brow. "What's your excuse?"

"What do you mean?" Harr asked, his expression turning to surprise.

Kagome laughed and looked at Loki before turning back to meet Harr's stare, "Look me in the eye and tell me Loki isn't like our kid."

"I know… he kinda is," Harr said then, and Loki grinned.

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

Harr set a cup of tea down before her, and Kagome mumbled a quiet, "thank you," before she lifted it and took a sip. Harr sat back down on the other side of the table once he'd fixed tea for Loki and himself, as well.

Loki was still wrapped around her, arms intertwined with her own and his shoulder flush against her own. He didn't seem to want to let go, at least not yet. He tried to glue himself as close as possible to the woman's side, seeming to purr in content when she offered her arm to give him an easier grip. She didn't mind his clinginess, instead welcoming it just like she would do when they were back in the Magic Tower together.

Harr watched the two with a small, genuine smile on his face. No matter how long it had been since she went missing, Loki had never lost his affection for her. At first, he didn't want to disrupt the silence around the table, but questions weighing on his mind eventually pulled him to break it. "Where were you?" Harr asked, and Kagome turned her attention to meet his confused stare. "You've been gone for years. What happened?"

Kagome laughed dryly at the question, and she thought back to that moment so long ago. It was vivid in her mind as if it was a brilliant painting two feet from her face. "It's… I don't even know how to get into it," she said, laughing again, this one sounding much sadder and desperate than the first, almost as if she was on the verge of tears. "It seems so crazy, Harr."

"Start from the beginning," he said. "Do you remember that day? We split up in the Forbidden Forest when they started chasing us."

"I remember," she said, letting her eyes slip closed in thought. Memories of running through the trees burned in her mind. She didn't have the strength to use her magic, as each time it'd restore, Amon would conduct another series of experiments on her until it felt like she was on death's doorstep. So that left running through the trees, trying to lose her pursuers. But she hadn't been able to. The clearing popped up in her head. "I ran for what felt like forever, but I couldn't ditch them. They were always too close to get away from them. I ran into a clearing, and they managed to surround me there. There was this well in the clearing," she said, and her words took Harr by surprise.

"A well?" He frowned, not understanding why it was significant enough for her to point it out. "Like a stone well?"

"No, no," Kagome shook her head. "Wooden, and kinda beat up. There were vines all over it, too, like it had been left there and left alone for years and years. It was just the well there- no house, or even ruins of a building."

Harr's brows furrowed in confusion. He had no recollection of a wooden well hidden in the Forbidden Forest. She must have gotten lost much deeper than he was familiar with. "Why are you mentioning it?"

Kagome downcast her gaze, staring into the still-steaming cup on the table in front of her. "It was calling to me.." she whispered then, and Harr felt his brows raise in surprise.

"Huh?"

Kagome expected his reaction, and she shrugged. "When I managed to break free from the disciples, I tried to run again. I tried to go around it, but as I got closer, I felt it pulling me to it." Kagome refused to meet his gaze as she sighed, "I jumped down it."

"You… jumped into the well?"

Kagome nodded.

"Of your own free volition?"

Kagome nodded again, feeling her cheeks flush red in embarrassment. It wasn't the first time she thought about that moment, and each time she did, she was left with the realization of how stupid the action had been. After all, if it had just been an ordinary well, then she would have been left trapped and cornered by her pursuers, and most likely severely injured from the fall.

She risked a glance at Harr. He looked at her, speechless. His expression contorted several times during the next few seconds before he finally shook his head and sighed, most likely regretting letting her go on her own all those years ago.

"Why would you do that? What happened?"

"I think the well responded to my magic, even though mine was drained because of Amon's experiments on me. When I jumped down it, this blue light surrounded me, and when I landed at the bottom, I wasn't in Cradle anymore." Kagome paused and curled her fingers into the skirts of her dress. "I know it was a terrible idea."

Harr frowned and let her words sink in. Another question burned in his mind, and he asked it before he realized it. "Why did you wait so long to come back?"

Kagome felt tears prick in her eyes at hearing the worry invading his words. "I didn't mean to," she said, a few tears slipping free to race down her cheeks. She didn't mean to cause so much worry, so much fear, but she had done just that. Kagome shook her head, schooling her expression and willing her tears away before any more could fall. "When I realized I wasn't in immediate danger anymore, I decided to wait it out for a few hours. That way, when I went back through the well, there might not be anyone there, giving me the chance to get to safer ground. But…" Kagome paused and glanced down. "When I tried to go back through, nothing happened. I landed at the bottom of the well. No glow, no magic, not back home. I was just stuck…"

Harr nodded slowly, starting to get a better understanding of her absence. "So you couldn't come back." Kagome nodded, and Harr beckoned her attention again. "What happened while you were there?"

She was silent for a while, almost as if she was collecting her thoughts and memories together. Harr waited patiently, not wanting to rush her if she needed time to think and process what happened. Eventually, she sighed and slumped against Loki, who used the chance to strengthen his clinging grip on her.

"There was a war, and I was the reason for it," Kagome said finally, her shoulders trembling at the recollection of it all, from start to finish.

Her words surprised him, and Harr frowned. "What do you mean?"

Kagome lifted her hand and gently tugged the pink jewel she wore from around her neck, and she laid it on the table between them. Both Harr and Loki eyed it curiously, yet neither of them moved to pick it up just yet.

"What's that?" Loki asked, debating on removing an arm from her to pick it up, but he refrained from doing so. "It feels like… you."

"Yeah, it does," she said. "It got ripped from my body while I was in that world," she said, and she gently set a hand over the hidden scar on her hip. She'd show them, but if she were to do that, then she'd have to hike her skirts up, and the idea didn't sound so pleasing in her head. "From this hip," she said, calling their attention to where her hand rested.

Harr was the one to pick it up, reaching out not long after she stopped talking. He rolled it between his fingers, the smooth surface sparkling as it caught on any sort of light source around. Around it, he could feel the distinct trace of magic- Kagome's magic- encasing it. "This… It's like a magic crystal, but, at the same time, it's not."

"From what I can understand, that jewel is the reason why my magic is so different from Lancelot's, or yours, or Loki's. It's why my magic restores itself, and why it's so much stronger," she said. "That thing… it triggered a war in the world I was stuck in. It seemed like everything was after it. It had the capability of boosting their natural strength, making them much stronger if they had it."

Harr placed it back on the table and focused his attention back on Kagome.

"I'm not sure why the well wouldn't let me go back through before anything could even happen, but I stayed in a nice little village. A few days later the jewel got ripped from my body, and it ended up getting shattered," she said, mumbling quietly not long after, "by me. I shattered it by accident. When that happened, I had to make myself stop worrying about coming home. I had a responsibility there, to fix what I did. When it got put back together, the war was over. It was after that last battle that I woke up at the bottom of the well. I don't remember how I got in there, but when I woke up, I was back in Cradle." She picked the jewel back up and held it between her fingers. "I was just lucky no disciples were around when I came back. There's no telling what would have happened to me if there had been."

She looked at Harr, feeling relieved at seeing him absorb the information well. Not long after, she chuckled dryly.

"Y'know, Harr?" She spoke up, her words drawing his attention. "In that place, there were dangerous things and creatures we'd never see in our world, yet I was still safer there than I am in Cradle." She glanced down as those words struck her deeper. "How awful is that?" she hummed thoughtfully.

She felt Loki hold tighter to her as she said those words, picking up on her disparaged mood. Kagome tilted her head some so she could look at him, and she offered him a warm smile that he readily returned. She lifted her free hand and patted his hair gently, and he nuzzled into her touch contently.

* * *

Kagome got used to life in Cradle again, but being back in a place constantly on the precipice of war was unsettling. For weeks now, she had stuck to inside the Black Army Headquarters to keep her presence out of the citizen's eye, but she knew she couldn't hide forever.

She didn't worry about the Red Army finding out about her, or Lancelot catching word. She knew sooner or later, she'd have no other choice than to become a pawn in yet another war. The face she feared was hidden behind the scenes, and she knew that as soon as Amon became aware of her re-emergence, then those who sheltered her would become even more prominent targets if it meant reclaiming her.

The crowded streets she walked were so familiar, but everything felt foreign to her now. A few days ago, she'd stated she was ready to be back in the public eye, affirming she couldn't hide away forever. Ray agreed, saying that if she felt ready, then the rest would comply. Early that morning, Sirius had tasked her with doing some shopping while the rest of the army trained and did their other tasks. Though she tried to reject the offer, Sirius appointed a guide to go with her to make sure she made it back safe.

The soldier appointed to be her guide was nice, and, even if she felt like it wasn't needed, she was still pleased by his joyful attitude. He was a young man in his early twenties with short, scruffy black hair and bright gray eyes. She had seen him around while cleaning the headquarters a few times, but had never actually met him until that moment. She'd learned his name was Ferris, and that he had actually offered to go with her.

Kagome glanced at the list Sirius had given her before she left, and she checked another thing off. "Okay, now we only have one last thing to get," she said. Kagome looked over her shoulder at her attendant and smiled. She noticed the bags he carried, and she frowned. "Are you sure you don't want me to carry more?" Kagome asked. "I don't want to make you carry everything."

"It's no problem!" he said in response, offering her a warm smile. "I don't want to make you carry the heavier things."

Kagome pursed her lips, reluctantly agreeing to keep from squabbling about it. "If you're sure…" she hummed as she turned on her heel and led him to the last shop. "Just let me know if you want me to carry something else, and I'll grab it."

They continued down the street, occasionally sharing a statement with each other as they headed to their last stop. Once they had got it and left the shop, Kagome smiled and turned to offer Ferris a beaming smile. "That's it!" she exclaimed. "Time to head back, and-!" Kagome paused when a familiar figure entered her line of sight. Gold eyes clashed against her blue. She tried not to be so surprised, having expected such a thing to happen sooner or later, but she was left grasping at words as an accusatory voice rang through her ears.

"Why are you parading around with a soldier from the Black Army?" Jonah asked her, but shook his head and gave her no time to form a response. "I've heard gossip about King Lancelot's sister showing back up, but to see you here, guided around is still a surprise." He reached out for her to take his hand. "Well, come on. I'll see you back home, safe, Kagome."

"Jonah…" Kagome let her gaze linger on his doll-like features, but she didn't have the chance to say much more before she was abruptly- yet very gently- pushed back and out of the way. "Hey!"

"Stay back, Kagome," Ferris said, taking a protective stance in front of her. He focused on Jonah and glared. "And you- you keep your distance."

Jonah's glare turned to a displeased scowl. "Me? You're the one who needs to get away from her," he said. Kagome felt her heart plummet when his hand went to the hilt of his sword, drawing it and readying it in front of him.

Ferris mimicked his stance, drawing his own sword. The clash of metal made her cringe. "No fighting!" Kagome shouted as the battle began, neither of them listening to her voice.

Kagome glared at the two and dropped the things she held alongside what Ferris had been carrying prior to Jonah's appearance. "I said no fighting!" Kagome repeated again, raising a hand. Her eyes turned red as her magic halted the confrontation moments after it began, a sheer, pink barrier of sorts going up between them. It dissipated as she walked through it, sparkling pink remnant of her magic flittering through the air as she stepped between the two men. She shoved each of them back a couple of paces with a finger to their chest.

"I appreciate you trying to protect me, but let's not have pointless fighting, hm? It's no good," Kagome said softly to the soldier at her side. A second later she spared a glance at Jonah. "After all, I doubt Jonah as any desire or reason to try and hurt me."

Jonah felt his eyes widen when she said that. Kagome turned to him, a sure smile on her face.

"Must be strange to see me again, huh?"

"Were the Black Army the ones to cause your disappearance?" Jonah asked, ignoring her previous statement.

"Now that's just a drastic and very wrong assumption, Jonah." Kagome set a hand on her hip and glared at him at the idea alone. "I'm with the Black Army of my own volition, I'll have you know. I'm not a defenseless princess that needs saving."

His surprise melted from his face, and it was replaced with a glare. "What do you think you're doing? King Lancelot won't be happy to hear you're with the Black Army."

Kagome picked up the dropped shopping, keeping herself between the two men as she did so. She shoved a few things back into Ferris' arms, keeping the rest in her own grip. A thoughtful hum came from her, and she shrugged. "Good thing I'm not the one who has to tell him then," Kagome added on with a coy smile before finally turning and leading Ferris away with a slight skip in her steps.

In truth, knowing that she was with the Black Army would likely comfort Lancelot, considering all other options, but she kept that thought to herself. She pushed it to the back of her mind as she continued back to headquarters with Ferris.

All there was to do now was to wait for a letter to come.

* * *

The letter came much later than she initially thought, but she didn't question it. Of course, the others had been informed of what transpired that day, and they all were on the same page as her in waiting for the incoming letter from the King of the Red Army.

It finally came, nearly a week and a half following that encounter, calling for a meeting between armies- and for her, specifically, to attend.

She was calm through the entire trip, peacefully counting the seconds until they arrived. When she surfaced out of her thoughts, she let her gaze sweep over the faces that filled the Red Army's chosen thirteen. Some faces looked familiar, but she didn't dwell on them when her eyes met a pair of blue identical to her own.

Something unseen by the others there was shared in their connected gaze. Hidden emotions burned in Lancelot's eyes before they vanished entirely and a steely resolved return to his features.

Kagome turned her attention away from him. "Yes, yes, as you can see I'm alive and well," she said calmly. "I'm quite content where I am. I'm not interested in returning back to the Red Territory.

A cold smile appeared on his face, but she could see through the distant act he put up. She was probably the only one who could see through it. "Don't you know better than to run off, Kagome? It'd be in your best interest to return to me."

Kagome rose a brow at that statement. She turned her head to the side with a reserved huff. "Mm… I'll pass, Lance."

She had no intention of returning to the Red Territory to live… not until Amon was taken care of. Even being here, surrounded by the strongest ones of both armies, she was still sitting with a large bullseye on her back. She didn't care if Lancelot wanted to protect her, she'd still refuse.

She felt the heat behind his glare at her bold statement.

Lancelot was no stranger to her stubborn attitude, but he wasn't used to being the one on the receiving end. "Kagome." His voice was one of a warning, one telling her to listen to him and return to where she belonged.

Kagome turned to focus on him, her peaceful stare challenging her brother's cold one. "I yield to no one," she said. Kagome balanced her chin in her hand and smiled coyly as his expression stiffened. "Have you forgot? My magic is much stronger than yours."

Up until that point, the rest present had remained silent, both sides watching the two interact. With her position clearly defined, the initial cause for the meeting began. The topic the armies going to war.

Kagome sat, hardly listening to either side. As worried as the prospect of war made her, she was more worried about Amon discovering her here. She couldn't let her guard down, no matter how secure the area was.

By the ending of the meeting, she was not surprised to hear the declaration of war. Worried and anxious, yes, but definitely not surprised. This world of hers has been on the brink of war since forever, so this was nothing that shocked her by any means.

As the meeting ended, Kagome stood and left with the Black Army. Lancelot watched her form as she left, a steely expression in place on his face.

A part of him was relieved that she demanded to remain with the Black Army. It meant she was just that much further away from Amon and the Magic Tower, but he knew that Amon could still reach her if he decided to go after her. At the very least, he was able to find peace knowing she was safe, regardless of her location. He trusted Sirius to keep her safe- one of the few people he'd ever trust to protect Kagome.

He had to find a swift way to eliminate Amon from the shadows entirely.

_However… how was he to know things would change, and all because of a girl falling from the sky?_


End file.
